[JJeffers09]

So I had a recently acquainted homebrewer stop by to hang out with me during a brew day.  I already got my mash started as he came strolling up, and he thinks my recipe is crap.  "Not what a Baltic porter is, if you were in the ball park I wouldn't say anything but you are in the parking lot not the stadium."  To late now right? Now I am out for 2-20th opinions.  I had the my LHBS owner help me with this one....

So brew day is all done - #48 Attempt to a Baltic Porter

23.2L/6.1 Gal

66.7% Maris Otter
20.3% Munich 10L
5.8% Flaked Wheat
2.9% Chocolate (350)
2.9% Black Malt
1.4% Medium Crystal

1oz Willamette 7.8% @ 60
1oz Perle 5.5% @ 15
1oz Hallertau 4.5% @ FO

Measured OG - 1.080 (78% efficiency)
IBU - 41.5 Rager / 34.7
~SRM 31.0

Mashed at 154F

[69franx]

No experience with Baltic, but your specs seem to fit guidelines. What yeast? Interested to see what others think

[JJeffers09]

WLP810

[kramerog]

Since you asked, the Maris Otter sticks out to me as something non-traditional, e.g., would probably not be used in the Baltic republics or Sweden.  Probably not a big deal when it is tasted.

[Stevie]

The Maris is fine IMO, but I would go with something more along carafa over black malt.

[HoosierBrew]

The Maris is fine IMO, but I would go with something more along carafa over black malt.

+1.  Shouldn't have an overly assertive roast for this one.

[JJeffers09]

hoping that 8oz in 6 gallons won't be too bad, but I just looked up info on the Bairds website says there black malt is EBC1200-1500 so that's 609-761SRM? or am I calculating that wrong?  which changed the SRM to 33

[Stevie]

We mostly use lovibond in the US, so it would be comparable to 450-550. I use Bairds, it's a fine malt.

[JJeffers09]

So the consensus is that so far the roasted character "may?" be too high for the style, and the base malt is inappropriate.  I assumed the rich nutty toasted English character as a base malt would be appropriate in the beer.  Also thanks stevie - L not SRM.  Just another opportunity to laugh at myself... I am still learning.

[Iliff Ave]

The one baltic porter that I brewed was basically an imperial schwarzbier. The only roasted malt was carafa special. I am not sure how 'to style' my version was either but it seemed to match the guidelines.

[majorvices]

It's not how I would probably design my recipe but I don't see anything that strikes me as not making a good beer. Tell your homebrewer friend to STFU and RDWHAHB.

[JJeffers09]

You're not wrong. I just said, "I hope you fracture a carboy full of RIS...."

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[dmtaylor]

42 IBUs seems like way too much.  Also should be a fuller sweeter beer IMHO so more crystal or even some lactose may be in order.  Recipe looks alright otherwise, assuming it doesn't turn out overly roasty as the others stated.

[santoch]

42 IBUs seems much to me, too.  You generally want to match the gravity to the IBUs in terms of where in the range you go.  For instance, If you are at the low end of the OG range, you want to be at the low end of the IBU range too.  Same with matching middle and high end of each range.  That helps keep the balance in check.

As mentioned, traditionally, Munich & Vienna were used instead of 2 row, and you want to go with debittered black malt instead of black patent.  This seems more like an Imperial Robust porter or even a stout as opposed to a Baltic.  Doesn't mean it won't be good.  Just means that it will be at the edges of the style, and that's ok.

Don't let anyone discourage you.  The important thing is to make it and taste it and adjust the things that you want to change.  The more practice you get doing that, the easier it becomes to think of a target and put together the ingredients that will hit that.  Even then, there are times that the mix tastes nothing like what you thought it would, but it ends up being even better than what you were aiming for.

Enjoy!

[JJeffers09]

So beersmith usually calculates off of the tinseth equation.  Which I read is better for hop utilization when using pellets, and Rager equation when using whole leaf.  The rager equation is the 41.5IBU.  Otherwise I am right at the just ever so slightly higher IBUs to OG in the beersmith style guide.  The only thing in the red - so to speak - is the color.

This recipe ended at a BU:GU of 0.43
(Based on Tinseth method)
High end of the style is 0.44 @40IBU/1.090OG
Low end of the style is 0.33 @20IBU/1.060OG

I do think that it may end up a little stouty, but that is just based on the CO2 after smell in my "wish I had a beer cave - but I live in a flood zone" beer office